Bill Text: NJ A2686 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: "School Children First Act"; establishes factors for determining compensation; requires principal consent for teacher placement; eliminates certain seniority rights.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [A2686 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A2686-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JAY WEBBER
District 26 (Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
"School Children First Act"; establishes factors for determining compensation; requires principal consent for teacher placement; eliminates certain seniority rights.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning certain teaching staff members, supplementing chapters 6 and 29 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, and revising various parts of the statutory law.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) This act shall be known and may be cited as the "School Children First Act."
2. (New section) a. A school district shall annually report the number of teachers in each school who received a rating of ineffective, partially effective, effective, and highly effective on the annual summative evaluation. The report shall be published on the school district's website.
b. The Commissioner of Education shall annually report the number of teachers, principals, assistant principals, and vice-principals in each school district who received a rating of ineffective, partially effective, effective, and highly effective on the annual summative evaluation. The report shall be published on the Department of Education's website.
c. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections a. and b. of this section to the contrary, a school district and the commissioner shall not report results that may lead to the identification of the rating of an individual. The commissioner shall establish standards to be used in determining when the results of the annual summative evaluation shall not be reported.
3. (New section) a. A board of education shall adopt a salary schedule or compensation policy for teaching staff members employed in the position of teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice-principal in which the individual's salary is determined primarily by:
(1) the teaching staff member's demonstrated effectiveness in advancing student learning, as determined by the staff member's annual effectiveness rating;
(2) the teaching staff member's assignment to a failing school, as identified by the Commissioner of Education; and
(3) the teaching staff member teaching a subject area that the commissioner has designated as a difficult to staff subject area.
b. A board of education shall not adopt a salary schedule or compensation policy for teaching staff members employed in the position of teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice-principal in which the individual's years of employment is a primary determinant of the individual's salary.
c. The salary schedule or compensation policy for teaching staff members employed in the position of teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice-principal adopted by a board of education shall not provide additional compensation for academic credits earned or degrees attained unless:
(1) the commissioner has determined that attainment of the academic credit or degree will have a demonstrably positive effect on student achievement; and
(2) the teaching staff member is teaching or practicing in the subject area in which the academic credit or degree was attained.
d. Regulations shall be promulgated pursuant to section 19 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) pertaining to the compensation of teaching staff members employed in the positions of teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal, and they shall be binding upon and supersede any district-adopted salary schedule or compensation policy that may be inconsistent with the regulations.
e. A school district shall adopt the salary schedule or compensation policy required pursuant to this section by the 2022-2023 school year, provided however that any salary schedule or compensation policy that is set out in any existing collective bargaining agreement need not conform to the requirements set forth in regulations until such time as the agreement expires. No collective bargaining agreement or other contract entered into by a school district after July 1, 2022 shall conflict with the salary schedule or compensation policy set forth in regulations.
4. N.J.S.18A:6-31.1 is amended to read as follows:
18A:6-31.1. Whenever any district is divided into two or more districts those persons having tenure, in office, position or employment in such district in positions other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice-principal, shall continue to have tenure in the district which comprises the territory in which they were serving at the time of the division; the persons having tenure in office, position or employment in such district in positions other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice-principal, whose services were not exclusively confined to the territory comprising any one of the districts as so divided, at the time of the division, shall be employed, if their services are so required, in the district having the highest number of pupils in average daily attendance during the second academic year preceding the academic year in which the new district is created as certified by the department and those persons having tenure in office, position or employment in the original district in positions other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice-principal, who are not employed by the board of education of either district shall retain the seniority and tenure rights acquired in the original district and shall be employed in accordance therewith as vacancies occur in either the original district or the new district before any other persons are so employed in similar offices, positions or employments.
(cf: N.J.S.18A:6-31.1)
5. N.J.S.18A:6-31.2 is amended to read as follows:
18A:6-31.2. The tenure, seniority and pension rights of all persons, who had office, position or employment in the original district at the time of said division in positions other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice-principal, and who are employed in either district after such division shall continue with the same force and effect as though such division had not occurred and any future continuation of service in either district shall be deemed to be a continuation of the service rendered prior to said division and any period of service rendered in the original district shall be credited toward the acquisition of tenure, seniority and pension rights in the original or new district, as the case may be.
(cf: N.J.S.18A:6-31.2)
6. Section 2 of P.L.1995, c.294 (C.18A:6-31.4) is amended to read as follows:
2. Whenever a new school district is created [, the terms and conditions of employment, whether established through a collective bargaining agreement or past practice, of the largest constituent school district which is affected, replaced or displaced by, or forms part of the new school district, shall apply until a successor agreement is negotiated with the majority representative of the new school district. As used in this section, the term largest constituent school district means that school district which employs the largest number of teaching staff members.
In the event that there is an employee bargaining unit in a constituent school district with the next largest number of employees and with a majority representative of the unit, which is not so represented in the largest school district, the terms and conditions of employment for all employees holding positions in that unit in the new school district shall apply provided that the terms and conditions of employment shall only apply to the new school district's employees in that bargaining unit] a new collective bargaining agreement shall be negotiated with the majority representative of the new school district.
(cf: P.L.1995, c.294, s.2)
7. Section 3 of P.L.1995, c.294 (C.18A:6-31.5) is amended to read as follows:
3. Whenever a new school district is created, the tenure and seniority rights of all employees from the affected, constituent, replaced or displaced districts which form or are a part of, or are affected, replaced or displaced by the new school district, except for employees who are superintendents or in the positions of teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice-principal, shall be recognized and preserved by the new school district and all periods of employment in any of the school districts shall count toward acquisition of tenure and seniority in the new school district. All statutory and contractual rights to tenure, seniority, accumulated sick leave, leave of absence, and pension of an employee, other than an employee who is a superintendent or in the positions of teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice-principal, which have been acquired through employment in any of the districts shall be recognized by the new school district.
(cf: P.L.1995, c.294, s.3)
8. Section 4 of P.L.1995, c.294 (C.18A:6-31.6) is amended to read as follows:
4. Following consideration of the tenure and seniority rights of employees provided pursuant to section 3 of this act or pursuant to any other section of law, a new school district shall fill all vacancies and available positions other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal from a pool of qualified employees prior to interviewing applicants or hiring new employees. The pool of qualified employees shall consist of all employees of the constituent, affected, displaced or replaced school districts in positions other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal, who would otherwise be entitled to continued employment in that district in the following school year but are not entitled to continued employment in the new school district because of tenure or seniority status. [During] For positions other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal, during the school year in which the new district is established, a new school district shall not hire an employee for a particular position until all employees in the labor pool qualified to fill the position have been offered employment by the new school district.
(cf: P.L.1995, c.294, s.4)
9. N.J.S.18A:13-49 is amended to read as follows:
18A:13-49. All [principals, teachers and] employees in the employ of any dissolving local district in positions other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal shall be transferred to and continue in their respective employments in the employ of the regional school district and their rights to tenure, pension and accumulated leave of absence accorded under the laws of the state shall not be affected by their transfer to the employ of the regional school district.
(cf: N.J.S.18A:13-49)
10. Section 14 of P.L.1975, c.360 (C.18A:13-64) is amended to read as follows:
14. All employees of the regional district in positions other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal, shall continue in their respective positions in the withdrawing district, or in each of the constituent districts in the event of a dissolution, and all of their rights of tenure, seniority, pension, leave of absence and other similar benefits shall be recognized and preserved and any periods of prior employment in the regional district shall count toward the acquisition of tenure to the same extent as if all such employment had been under the withdrawing district or in any of the constituent districts in the event of a dissolution. In the event of a withdrawal, any tenured employee in a school located in the withdrawing district in positions other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal, who desires to remain in the employ of the regional district, and whose seniority under existing tenure laws so permits, may apply for and shall be granted a transfer to a position other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal with the regional district for which he is certified which is vacant, held by a tenured employee with less seniority or by an employee without tenure; applications for such transfers shall be made within 45 days of the date of the special school election at which the withdrawal was approved.
(cf: P.L.1993, c.255, s.13)
11. Section 15 of P.L.1989, c.90 (C.18A:13-80) is amended to read as follows:
15. All employees of the all purpose regional district in positions other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal shall continue in their respective positions in the new district and all of their rights of tenure, seniority, pension, leave of absence and other similar benefits shall be recognized and preserved and any periods of prior employment in the all purpose regional district shall count toward the acquisition of tenure to the same extent as if the employment had been under the new district. Any tenured employee in a school located in the new district in a position other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal who desires to remain in the employ of the all purpose regional district, and whose seniority under existing tenure laws so permits, may apply for and shall be granted a transfer to a position other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice-principal with the all purpose regional district for which he is certified which is vacant, held by a tenured employee with less seniority or by an employee without tenure. Applications for these transfers shall be made within 45 days of the date of the special school election at which the withdrawal was approved.
(cf: P.L.1989, c.90, s.15)
12. Section 1 of P.L. 1995, c.125 (C.18A:27-4.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule or regulation to the contrary,
a. (1) A board of education shall appoint, transfer or remove a certificated or non-certificated officer or employee [only] upon the recommendation of the chief school administrator and by a recorded roll call majority vote of the full membership of the board. The board shall not withhold its approval for arbitrary and capricious reasons.
(2) A teacher shall not be assigned to the instructional staff of a school without the consent of the school principal for the assignment.
(3) In the event that a principal does not consent to the assignment of a teacher under tenure, the teacher may continue to receive salary and benefits while the teacher and the school district search for an alternative assignment in the district. If the consent of a principal at another school in the district is not obtained within 12 months of the date on which the initial assignment is approved by the board of education, the board may place the teacher on permanent unpaid leave. A teacher on permanent unpaid leave shall not receive salary, benefits, or credit towards salary or benefits.
b. A board of education shall renew the employment contract of a certificated or non-certificated officer or employee only upon the recommendation of the chief school administrator and by a recorded roll call majority vote of the full membership of the board. The board shall not withhold its approval for arbitrary and capricious reasons. A nontenured officer or employee who is not recommended for renewal by the chief school administrator shall be deemed nonrenewed. Prior to notifying the officer or employee of the nonrenewal, the chief school administrator shall notify the board of the recommendation not to renew the officer's or employee's contract and the reasons for the recommendation. An officer or employee whose employment contract is not renewed shall have the right to a written statement of reasons for nonrenewal pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1975, c.132 (C.18A:27-3.2) and to an informal appearance before the board. The purpose of the appearance shall be to permit the staff member to convince the members of the board to offer reemployment. The chief school administrator shall notify the officer or employee of the nonrenewal pursuant, where applicable, to the provisions of section 1 of P.L.1971, c.436 (C.18A:27-10).
c. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the appointment, transfer, removal, renewal or nonrenewal of a person who is a treasurer of school moneys, election officer, board auditor, board attorney or board secretary, except a board secretary who performs business administration functions.
(cf: P.L.1995, c.125, s.1)
13. N.J.S.18A:28-6.1 is amended to read as follows:
18A:28-6.1. Whenever, heretofore or hereafter, any board of education in any school district in this state shall discontinue any high school, junior high school, elementary school or any one or more of the grades from kindergarten through grade 12 in the district and shall, by agreement with another board of education, send the pupils in such schools or grades to such other district, all teaching staff members in positions other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal, who are assigned for a majority of their time in such school, grade or grades and who have tenure of office at the time such schools or grades are discontinued shall be employed by the board of education of such other district in the same or nearest equivalent position; provided that any such teaching staff member may elect to remain in the employ of the former district in any position other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal, to which he may be entitled by virtue of his tenure and seniority rights by giving notice of said election to the boards of education in each of the school districts at least three months prior to the date on which such school, grade, or grades are to be discontinued. Teaching staff members other than teachers, principals, assistant principals, and vice-principals, so employed in such other district shall have their rights to tenure, seniority, pension and accumulated leave of absence, accorded under the laws of this state, recognized and preserved by the board of education of that district. Any periods of prior employment in such sending district shall count toward the acquisition of tenure in the other district to the same extent as if all such prior employment had been in such other district.
(cf: N.J.S.18A:28-6.1)
14. N.J.S.18A:28-9 is amended to read as follows:
18A:28-9. Nothing in this title or any other law relating to tenure of service shall be held to limit the right of any board of education to reduce the number of teaching staff members, employed in the district whenever, in the judgment of the board, it is advisable to abolish any such positions for reasons of economy or because of reduction in the number of pupils or of change in the administrative or supervisory organization of the district or for efficiencies found through the consolidation or sharing of services between school districts or because a school has been identified as failing by the commissioner or for other good cause upon compliance with the provisions of this article.
(cf: N.J.S.18A:28-9)
15. N.J.S.18A:28-10 is amended to read as follows:
18A:28-10. [Dismissals] In the case of teaching staff members in positions other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice-principal, dismissals resulting from any such reduction shall not be made by reason of residence, age, sex, marriage, race, religion or political affiliation but shall be made on the basis of seniority according to standards to be established by the commissioner with the approval of the state board.
In the case of teaching staff members in the position of teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal, dismissals resulting from any such reduction shall not be made by reason of residence, age, sex, marriage, race, religion, or political affiliation, but shall be made on the basis of effectiveness as determined by the evaluation system established pursuant to the provisions of P.L.2012, c.26 (C.18A:6-117 et al.).
(cf: N.J.S.18A:28-10)
16. N.J.S.18A:28-11 is amended to read as follows:
18A:28-11. In the case of [any such reduction] teaching staff members in positions other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal, the board of education shall determine in any such reduction the seniority of the persons affected according to such standards and shall notify each such person as to his seniority status, and the board may request the commissioner for an advisory opinion with respect to the applicability of the standards to particular situations, which request shall be referred to a panel consisting of the executive county superintendent of the county, the secretary of the state board of examiners and an assistant commissioner of education designated by the commissioner and an advisory opinion shall be furnished by said panel. No determination of such panel shall be binding upon the board of education or any other party in interest or upon the commissioner or the state board if any controversy or dispute arises as a result of such determination and an appeal is taken therefrom pursuant to the provisions of this title.
(cf: N.J.S.18A:28-11)
17. Section 1 of P.L.1985, c.217 (C.18A:28-11.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. In computing length of service for seniority purposes, every teaching staff member in a position other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal who, after July 1, 1940, has served or hereafter shall serve, in the active military or naval service of the United States or of this State, including active service in the women's army corps, the women's reserve of the naval reserve, or any similar organization authorized by the United States to serve with the army or navy, in time of war or an emergency, or for or during any period of training, or pursuant to or in connection with the operation of any system of selective service, or who was a member of the American Merchant Marine during World War II and is declared by the United States Department of Defense to be eligible for federal veterans' benefits, shall be entitled to receive equivalent years of employment or seniority credit for that service as if the member had been employed for the same period of time in some publicly owned and operated college, school or institution of learning in this or any other state or territory of the United States, except that the period of that service shall not be credited toward more than four years of employment or seniority credit. Any military or naval service shall be credited towards this employment or seniority credit including service that occurred prior to the member's employment as a teaching staff member.
(cf: P.L.1991, c.389, s.2)
18. N.J.S.18A:28-12 is amended to read as follows:
18A:28-12. If any teaching staff member in a position other than teacher, principal, assistant principal, and vice-principal shall be dismissed as a result of such reduction, such person shall be and remain upon a preferred eligible list in the order of seniority for reemployment whenever a vacancy occurs in a position for which such person shall be qualified and he shall be reemployed by the body causing dismissal, if and when such vacancy occurs and in determining seniority, and in computing length of service for reemployment, full recognition shall be given to previous years of service, and the time of service by any such person in or with the military or naval forces of the United States or of this State, subsequent to September 1, 1940, and the time of service of any member of the American Merchant Marine during World War II who is declared by the United States Department of Defense to be eligible for federal veterans' benefits, shall be credited to him as though he had been regularly employed in such a position within the district during the time of such military or naval service, except that the period of that service shall not be credited toward more than four years of employment or seniority credit.
(cf: P.L.1991, c.389, s.3)
19. Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) to the contrary, the Commissioner of Education shall adopt, immediately upon filing with the Office of Administrative Law, such rules and regulations as the commissioner deems necessary to effectuate the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) which shall be effective for a period not to exceed 12 months. The regulations shall thereafter be amended, adopted, or readopted by the State Board of Education in accordance with the provisions of P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).
20. The following sections are repealed:
Section 5 of P.L.1995, c.294 (C.18A:6-31.7);
N.J.S.18A:8-34;
N.J.S.18A:13-42;
Section 1 of P.L.1972, c.64 (C.18A:29-4.2).
21. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
The bill requires school districts to adopt a salary schedule or compensation policy for all teachers, principals, assistant principals, and vice-principals that is consistent with regulations promulgated in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The regulations will establish the individual's annual evaluation, assignment to a failing school, and teaching in a difficult to staff subject area as the primary factors that determine an individual's compensation, and years of experience cannot be a primary determinant of an individual's compensation. A district would only be allowed to provide additional compensation for education attainment if the commissioner has determined that the additional education will have a positive effect on student achievement and the teaching staff member is teaching or practicing in the subject area in which the additional academic credit or degree was attained.
The bill stipulates that a teacher will not be assigned to the instructional staff of a school without the consent of the principal of the school. If a principal does not consent to the assignment of a teacher who is under tenure, the teacher may continue to receive compensation as the teacher and district seek to identify a principal who will consent to the placement. If such as placement is not found after 12 months, the teacher may be placed on permanent unpaid leave.
The bill also requires that, in the case of a teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice-principal, any dismissals resulting from a reduction in force must be made on the basis of effectiveness as determined by the evaluation system established under P.L.2012, c.26, rather than based on seniority. Last, the bill requires school districts to report the number of teachers in each school who received a rating of ineffective, partially effective, effective, and highly effective on the annual summative evaluation. The Commissioner of Education will provide a similar report for teachers, principals, assistant principals, and vice-principals in each school district.
